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Sale 27
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Lot 4265
Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) 16th President of the United States, 1861-1865. Five-line Autograph Endorsement Signed ("A. Lincoln") as President, as part of a complete and lengthy correspondence on four-page, lined, quarto stationery. Lincoln penned, "Submitted to the Sec. of War who is requested to see the bearer" at the end of the correspondence.
The first two pages are a petition "To the Honr. Abraham Lincoln. President of the United States" from the "Many Citizens of Loyalty" of Hickman, Kentucky, December 6, 1864. The border town begs the President for protection from Confederate marauders. "We after an interview with our mutual Friend Brig Genl. Meredith commanding the western district of Kentucky, have, concluded to commission and empower our friend and fellow citizen Parson H.H. Cowgills to represent our interest before your august presence! / We are suffering from the inovations of the Enemy upon us every day, and have no power to repell them, we ask of you to instruct our commander Brig Genl. Meredith to make a permanant military post at this place. / We dont ask it for our protection exclusively, but for the great benefit it will be to the Federal army. We have a district of…some 6 or 8 counties…about two hundred miles! it…offers every inducement to the Federal govement to have it protected, and let all of its resourses be brought forward to sustain our army….We would ask of you to extend our…Commander's district to the Hatchie River as this point is the natural outlet for all the cotton and tobacco raised in that section of the country! We trust in Divine Providence you may be awaken'ed to our great necessities…."
Following the petition is a lengthy, 51-line autograph recommendation, signed twice by Brigadier General Solomon Meredith ("S. Meredith"), Head Ars Dist of Westn Dv / Paducah, Ky. Dec 9th 1864. Meredith, who saw extensive action at Second Manassas, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, recommends that "Hickman be made a permanent military post….knowing as I do that it will be of great benefit to the union cause in this state. The citizens of Hickman and Fulton Co. gave a decided majority for the Union Ticket at the late election - which gives this a very powerful argument, if not a claim, for the protection of the Government they serve. The Government will be benefitted equally with the citizens by adopting the course proposed and the benefit both receive will be so much taken from the enemy who now occupy in little squads of guerrillas the whole country in that vicinity and run off every thing of value to this army which they can lay hands on." In a postscript, Meredith reiterates his recommendation that the Secretary of War establish a military post at Hickman, Kentucky. Below the postscript, President Lincoln writes his endorsement, requesting that the Secretary of War (Edwin Stanton) see the afore-mentioned Parson N.N. Cowgill. A yellowish stain at top left of page one does not affect the text and is not visible on the page Lincoln signed; otherwise, fine.
Estimated Value $15,000 - 17,500.
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